Spring and summer bring major events to Minneapolis

The Minnesota Twins home opener on Monday, April 7 marks the beginning of a busy spring and summer in Downtown Minneapolis and at the U of M, with a full schedule of large and small sporting events, concerts, theater, and community events happening all season long. Because downtown Minneapolis is a hub for transportation and transit options, there are many ways to come downtown and take in the fun, including taking transit, biking or walking, or driving to your destination. Spring is a great time for folks to refresh their memories on all the transportation options available for getting to and around town.

Events this spring and summer

This summer, Minneapolis will host the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, with several days of related activities around town. That’s just one big event in a summer of activities, including:

Twins home opener, April 7

Target Field Station Grand Opening, May 17

Minnesota Lynx home opener, May 18

Launch of the METRO Green Line, June 14

Northern Spark, June 14

USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships, June 24-July 3

Twin Cities Pride, June 28-29

Shriners Imperial Session, July 6-10

Major League Baseball All-Star Game events, July 11-15

Foreigner/STYX/Don Felder concert, July 16

Aquatennial, July 18-26

Creative City Challenge event days at the Convention Center, July 19, Aug. 16, Sept. 13

Manchester City vs. Olympiacos, part of the Guinness International Champions Cup at TCF Bank Stadium, Aug. 2

Kiss/Def Leppard concert, Aug. 17

Katy Perry concert, Aug. 22

Events calendar makes it easy to plan ahead

Whether you want to go to a game, catch a play, or see a concert, finding just the right events and activities for your family is easy when you use the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District’s online events calendar. The calendar is on the Downtown Improvement District’s website at www.MinneapolisDID.com. The list includes events and entertainment at dozens of venues, big and small, throughout Downtown, including sporting events, live performances, theater events, festivals and parades, exhibits, and many other entertainment options.

Getting where you’re going

Downtown is an urban setting that provides transportation opportunities to meet everyone’s desired experience, whether you want to drive, ride a bus, take a train, or bike or walk.

When visiting Downtown, there are five tips people should remember to minimize delays and maximize their enjoyment of all the activities going on.

Know your parking options – There is parking availability throughout Downtown. If you prefer convenient access to Target Field and Target Center, the adjacent A,B,C, and Hawthorne ramps have plenty of capacity. If you’re parking on the street when coming Downtown, make sure to check the signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space.

Use transit – Target Field and Target Center are extremely transit –friendly. The facilities are located at Target Field Station, the junction of Northstar commuter rail, the METRO Blue Line, the METRO Green Line (opening June 14) and many bus lines.

Bicycles are another great way to the games – Bicyclists are reminded to use headlights and taillights after dark and, if possible, to wear light or reflective clothing.

Come early/Stay late – Take part in activities, shopping, dining, and other entertainment before and after games and concerts. Enjoy the extra time to experience all Downtown has to offer, and beat the traffic.

Taking transit to events

Metro Transit will provide Northstar, light-rail and bus service to all Twins games and other large downtown events.

New in 2014! On game days, families can save on transportation with a Twins Family Pass. Two adults and up to three kids (ages 6-17) and/or seniors (65+), can ride roundtrip on buses and METRO lines for $8.50 on weekdays or $7 on weekends. Family Passes can be purchased at metrotransit.org/twins. A money-saving Family Pass for Northstar is also available.

Opening May 17, Target Field Station, the new premier multi-modal transportation hub and community gathering space located next to Target Field, will provide a unique gateway with a robust streetscape connecting the North Loop neighborhood to the historic Warehouse District.

Beginning June 14, the METRO Green Line will open to the public providing light-rail service to Target Field and Target Center from St. Paul and the University of Minnesota.

Online tools and information for instantly planning bus or train trips to Twins games is available at metrotransit.org/twins.

Making event days a great experience

Every year, many City departments, the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Ballpark Authority, Target Center, the Minnesota Vikings, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Hennepin County, Metro Transit, ABC Ramps, the Warehouse District Business Association, the Downtown Improvement District, the Hennepin Theatre District, the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Guthrie Theater, the University of Minnesota, and others all work together to make event days in Downtown a success.